Drug & supplement interaction

Calcium + Trandolapril, Verapamil

Trandolapril, Verapamil brand name: Tarka.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Trandolapril, Verapamil falls into 2 drug categories that Calcium can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, calcium may reduce the therapeutic effects of verapamil.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Calcium and Trandolapril, Verapamil

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Calcium interacts with whole categories of medication. Trandolapril, Verapamil falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Calcium in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

VERAPAMIL (Calan, others)

1 of 2
Theoretically, calcium may reduce the therapeutic effects of verapamil.
Hypercalcemia can reduce the effectiveness of verapamil in atrial fibrillation. Theoretically, use of calcium supplements may increase this risk of hypercalcemia and reduce the effectiveness of verapamil.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Tarka combines two blood pressure medicines: trandolapril (an ACE inhibitor) and verapamil (a calcium channel blocker). Verapamil works partly by blocking calcium from entering heart and blood vessel cells, which slows the heart and relaxes vessels. The concern here is that loading up on extra calcium, especially if it pushes your blood calcium too high, could in theory work against verapamil and make it less effective.

In real life this is based mostly on lab reasoning, not strong human studies, so I wouldn't panic. Calcium from your normal diet is very unlikely to matter. The bigger question is concentrated supplement doses, particularly if you're taking Tarka to help control a fast or irregular heartbeat. Before starting a calcium supplement, check with your pharmacist or doctor so they can pick the right dose and keep an eye on your blood pressure and heart rate.

References
  1. Bar-Or D, Yoel G. Calcium and calciferol antagonize effect of verapamil in atrial fibrillation. Br Med J 1981;282:1585-6.
Minor

CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS

2 of 2

Why this applies to Trandolapril, Verapamil

Trandolapril, Verapamil falls under CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS — the group Calcium interacts with.

Intravenous calcium may decrease the effects of calcium channel blockers; oral calcium is unlikely to have this effect.
Intravenous calcium is used to decrease the effects of calcium channel blockers in the management of overdose. Intravenous calcium gluconate has been used before intravenous verapamil (Isoptin) to prevent or reduce the hypotensive effects without affecting the antiarrhythmic effects. But there is no evidence that dietary or supplemental calcium when taken orally interacts with calcium channel blockers.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Good news here: the calcium supplements you take by mouth are very unlikely to bump heads with Tarka, which pairs verapamil (a calcium channel blocker) with trandolapril (a blood pressure medicine). The only real concern is with intravenous calcium given in a hospital, which doctors actually use on purpose to push back against too much calcium channel blocker, for example to support blood pressure during an overdose. That is a controlled IV situation, not your daily calcium tablet.

The everyday calcium you swallow doesn't work that way, so it shouldn't weaken Tarka's blood pressure or heart rhythm benefits. This is a theoretical, low-priority concern based on pharmacology. If you have kidney issues or just want peace of mind, run your calcium dose by your pharmacist.

References
  1. Moser LR, Smythe MA, Tisdale JE. The use of calcium salts in the prevention and management of verapamil-induced hypotension. Ann Pharmacother 2000;34:622-9. PubMed
  2. Gueguen L, Pointillart A. The bioavailability of dietary calcium. J Am Coll Nutr 2000;19:119s-136s. PubMed
  3. Bania TC, Blaufeux B, Hughes S, et al. Calcium and digoxin vs. calcium alone for severe verapamil toxicity. Acad Emerg Med 2000;7:1089-96. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Calcium Also Interacts With Other Medications

Calcium has 7 major, 142 moderate, 18 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Trandolapril, Verapamil one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Calcium

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Calcium. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Calcium or Trandolapril, Verapamil

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Calcium or Trandolapril, Verapamil, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Trandolapril, Verapamil

This page covers Calcium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Trandolapril, Verapamil page lists 304 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Asarabacca (major) and Beer (major).

By severity: 11 major · 250 moderate · 43 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Trandolapril, Verapamil page

“This is one of the supplement lists I would want a patient to read closely, not skim. Tarka combines trandolapril and verapamil to lower blood pressure, and most of these interactions pull on that same lever, either dropping pressure further than intended or working against the medicine altogether.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Trandolapril, Verapamil interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Calcium as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 38,397 real supplement products containing Calcium, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Calcium. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Trandolapril, Verapamil too, on top of Calcium — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Calcium and Trandolapril, Verapamil Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Calcium
Top 10

#2 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Trandolapril, Verapamil
Top 25%

#511 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Calcium

What is Calcium?

  • Bone health and osteoporosis prevention
  • Dietary calcium deficiency
  • Heartburn relief (calcium carbonate antacids)
  • Supporting healthy teeth
  • High blood pressure support during pregnancy

Calcium is an essential mineral your body needs for strong bones, nerve signaling, and muscle function, and supplements can help fill gaps when diet falls short. Most people do best getting calcium from food, and supplements should be used at the lowest dose needed. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before starting, especially if you have kidney problems or take other medicines.

Read the full Calcium monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Calcium

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Calcium — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

7Major
142Moderate
18Minor
2,662No known interaction
Major

7 interactions

Moderate

142 interactions

Showing 60 of 142 moderate interactions — see all 142 on the Calcium page.

Minor

18 interactions

No interaction 2,662 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Calcium and Trandolapril, Verapamil Together: Common Questions

Can you take Calcium with Trandolapril, Verapamil?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Calcium and Trandolapril, Verapamil?
Trandolapril, Verapamil belongs to more than one drug category, and Calcium interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Calcium and Trandolapril, Verapamil interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.